rowand



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

L. G. ROWAND. AUTOMATIC SAFTY DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS. No. 542,030. Patented July 2, 1895.

Witnesses Inventor.

Attorney.

(N0 Mbdel.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

L. G. ROWAND. AUTOMATIC SAFTY DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

No. 542,030. Patented July 2, 1895.

Witnesses. inventor.

pf h f Attorney.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

L. G. R OWAND. AUTOMATIC SAPTY DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS. No. 542,030. Patented July 2, 1895,.

ilk-

, Witnesses.

Attorney.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

L. G. ROWAND. AUTOMATIC SAPTY DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS. No. 542,030. Patented July 2,1895.

I nventor.

D Witnesses f m Jwm Q Attorney.

UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS G. R WAN D, OF CAMDEN, NElV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIVERSAL FIRE ALARM COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

AUTOMATIC SAFETY DEVICE FOR ELECTRIC CIRCUITS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,030, dated July 2, 1895.

Applicati n fi February 6, 1895- Serial No. 537,!M4. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: and electrical connections used with switch Be 1t known that I, LEWIS ROWAND, a devices. citizen of the United States, residing at Oam- Fig. 1 represents a circuit B, in which D is den, county of Gloucester, and State of New the dynamo, and D a lamp in the circuit.

Jersey, have invented a new and useful 1111- At a point close to the commencement of the 5 provement in Automatic Safety Devices for circuit I insert the device X, (shown in Figs. Electric Circuits, of which the following is a 2 and 3,) Fig. 2 being a section, and Fig. 3 a full, clear, and exact description, reference plan. In this device A is a switch-leverpivbeing had to the accompanying drawings, oted at a, and at the pivoted end, by means [0 which forma part of this specification. of the binding-post a, connection is made 60 My invention consists, essentially, in placwith the wire of the main circuit. The other ing upon an electric circuit at the commenceend of lever A rests against a spring-conment of said circuit a switch controlled by an tact I), connected to the binding-post Z), with electric device, preferably an electromagnet, which the wire of the main circuit beyond in shunt with the circuit upon which is the the switchis connected. Therefore, when the 65 switch, the resistances of the shunt-circuit lever A is in contact with spring-contact I), being greater than the resistance of the linethe circuit is complete through the switch. circuit under normal conditions; but if a The switch-lever stands vertically and is norwire breaks in the main circuit the resistance mally held against the contact I) by means of becomes greater than the resistance of the the catch 0 on the pivoted arm 0 engaging a 79 shunt-circuit and the magnet is energized, so projection b from the lever. The pivoted that it acts upon the switch to open the line arm 0 carries the armature of a magnet E, or circuit at its commencement, so that the the catch holding the lever when the armabroken wire is no longer a live wire. ture is unacted on by the magnet. The mag- My invention is adaptable to all character net E is in shunt with the main circuit. The 75 of circuits, either light or power, and is esperesistance of the magnet E is greater than the cially applicable for use in electric roads, as resistance in the main circuit B, and consewill hereinafter be fully pointed out. quently normally the magnetis not energized,

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing and the catch of armature holds the lever in 0 myinvention applied toasingle circuit. Fig. position against the contact I) and the circuit 80 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of switch is active on the line. If by any reason the and controlling device. Fig. 3 is a plan of wire of circuit B should break, the resistance single switch and switch-controlling device, in the line will. at once become greater than gearing omitted. Fig. 4 is a plan of double the resistance of the shunt-circuit, and the switch and switch-controlling device, gearing magnet E will become energized and the ar- 85 being shown. Fig. 5 is aside elevation showmature C drawn in, releasing the catch from ing position of and support for switch-box. lever A, and the lever will fall, opening the Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic viewshowing my inmain circuit at its commencement, and the vention applied to an electric railway with broken wire will no longer be a live wire.

sub-sections in main section. Fig. '7 is a dia- If the circuit bea multiple circuit, as shown 90 grammatic view showing my invention apin Fig. 7, then the device X is preferably plied to a multiple circuit. Fig. 8 is a diaplaced at each circuit of the multiple. Thus grammatic view showing my invention ap- I place one at l, contiguous to the dynamo. I plied to a number of main electric-railway place one at the branch 2, contiguous to the sections. Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic view of point of departure from the main line. I 9

double switch and connections. Fig. 10 is a place one on the main line just beyond this diagrammatic view of single switch as used in branch 2, that being the commencement of a Fig. Fig. ll is a diagrammatic view of new circuit which extends to the branch 3, single switch as used in Fig. 6. Fig. 12 is a and at the commencement of this branch 3 I diagrammatic view showing signaling devices place a similar device, and so on throughout. TOO

Each circuit of the multiple where it commences is provided with a device,'such as before described, so that, if in any of these circuitsa wire is broken, the current is cut off from passing through the circuit in which the wire is broken, so that there is no danger of live wires. When a ground-circuit is used, I use a single switching device. (See Fig. 10.) Where there is a metallic circuit I prefer to use a double switching device with two levers, one controlling the connection of one wire, the other controlling the circuit to the other wire, both levers being controlled by the armature C of magnet E, as shown in Figs. 4, 7, and 9. Where in multiple circuits I use a device for each circuit and it is desired vto registerat the central station or power-house the circuit in which the break has occurred, so that it may be repaired, I provide the following mechanism: I

Connected in series in a circuit independent of the line-circuits is a. series of disks F F F, &c., said diskscorresponding in location and position and number with the-devices X. These disks are insulated at that portion of the periphery upon which are the insulating-strips-fi. (See Figs. 2, 4, and 12.) F has one strip, F two, and F .three,,and so on. f are brushes resting upon these disks connected in series, and in the circuit at the power-house is a signal L. On the shaft f? of each of disks F F, &c., is a .gear G, which meshes with gear-wheel G and gear-wheel G Upon the shaft of gear G2 is a gear which meshes with the spring'acting gear G, and fixed upon the shaft of gear Gis a disk having a notch gin its periphery,'in which is adapted to rest the toe-piece h of the arm H, connected to armature C.

When the magnet E is energized, as before described, the movement of the armature prevents the further reception of current in the main circuit, and it also moves the toepiece h from the notch g, allowing the spring-gear G to act, and signal is given. The number of signal is dependent upon the number of strips f. Thus, if the wire broken is in thecircuit corresponding to disk F, one signal will be given; if F, two signals, and so on, so that the person at the station can tell by the number of the signal the location of the break. Any other mechanism controlled by,.the circuitbreaker to give the signal may be used.

In practice it is preferable to make .the gear G such that it will revolve once in two revolutions of disk F, so that two sets of signals may be given before the toe-piece h again engages the notch g. D v

I can .operate the levers of switch device by hand, if desirableto cut oif the current from any circuit, in the following manner: J is a bell-crank, to one end of which is attached a is a view of pole with controlling switch mechanism and cord extending downward to the point where it can be reached.)

- As before stated, my invention is especially applicable to electric railways, and in Figs. 6 and 8.1 have illustrated my improvement applied to such a use. Taking first Fig. 8, K is the dynamo; K,the trunk-line; k k k 70, the feed-wires leading from the line K to the trolley wire of its corresponding trolley-section Z Z Z Z Z. The end of each of the sections Z to Z is connected with the ground through resistance, which resistance is greater than that of the car-motors. In shunt with each circuit Z Z Z and at the point where the said circuits connect with their corresponding feed wire 70 7; k -that is, at the commencement of each circuit of the trolley-wire-I place the device X, hereinbefore described, in a shunt-circuit, (see Figs.'8 and 10,) the resistance of whose shunt'cir'cuit magnet is greater than the motor-resistance or the trolley-seetion-circuit resistance, so that, so long as'the trolley-wireof that circuit remains intact the magnet is not energized; but when the wire of any section is broken, its corresponding magnet is energized and the current cut off from that section of the trolley-wire. As, however, the sections Z Z Z &c., are of considerable length in practice, and there being also several supporting-poles in a section,

a. wire may break when two or more cars are in thesection, and a .car between thesectionmagnet and the 'break,in which case the trolley-wire of that section would still remain alike. This can be obviated by the motormen of all the ears in a section cutting out their motors when the breakoccurs, when the magnet corresponding to said section would at once act and cut off current from the wire. However, a better method than this is shown in Fig. 6, where I form in each section Z to Z (one section Z and a part of another Z being shown) anumber of shunt circuits, such as shown in Fig. 11, each'having a magnet controlling a switch upon the trolley sub-section line, so that if the break takes place anywhere in the sub-section, the distance between the break and a magnet will be so short that the possibility of a car being there is'remote, and

if there, the,tim e which it remains there would be short. In practice Ipurpose placing these shuntm'agnets and switches at the points where there are-supporting-poles. The theory. of this last method (shown in Fig. 6) is that each car makes a separate circuit, and if I arrange my magnets and switches to provide for the maximum number ofpossible circuits thus formed, I am in position to cut the cur- .rent from a broken wire at any point.

The registering devices heretofore de-' scribed can be used with the method shown in Figs. 6 andS, just described, so as to indicate-the location of the broken wire.

Having now fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with an electric circuit, of a norm ally closed switch in said circuit, an electric device in a closed shunt with said circuit and adapted to control said switch, the resistance of said device being greater than the resistance of the circuit, the arrangement being such that when the resistance of the circuit is unduly increased, said device is energized and said switch is opened.

2. The combination with an electric circuit of a normally closed switch at the commencement of said circuit, an electric device in a closed shunt with said circuit and adapted to control said switch, the resistance of said device being greater than the resistance of the circuit, the arrangement being such that when the resistance of the circuit is unduly increased, said device is energized and said switch is opened.

3. The combination with an electric circuit, of a plurality of switches in said circuit, each switch being controlled by an electric device in a closed shunt with said circuit, the resistance of which deviceis greater than the resistanceof the circuit, thearrangement being such that when any device is energized its corre sponding switch is operated to open the circuit at said switch.

4. In combination with multiple electric circuits, each being provided with a normally closed switch, an electric device in a closed shunt with its corresponding circuit and controlling its corresponding switch, the resistance of each of said devices being greater than the resistance of its corresponding circuit, the arrangement being such that when any of said devices is energized its corresponding switch is operated and its circuit broken.

5. In combination with multiple electric circuits each being provided at its commencement with a normally closed switch, an electric device in a closed shunt with its corresponding circuit, and controlling its corresponding switch, the resistance of each of said devices being greater than the resistance of its corresponding circuit, the arrangement being such that when any of said devices is energized its corresponding switch is operated and its circuit broken.

6. In combination with multiple electric circuits, a plurality of switches in each of said circuits, each switch being controlled by an electric device in a closed shunt with its corresponding circuit, the resistance of each of said devices being greater than the resistance of its corresponding circuit, the arrangement being such that when any device is energized its corresponding switch is operated to open its corresponding circuit at said switch.

'7. In combination with an electric circuit, a normally closed switch in said circuit, an electric device in a closed shunt with said circuit and adapted to control said switch, the resistance of said device being greater than the resistance of the circuit, the arrangement being such that when the resistance of the circuit is unduly increased, said device is energized and said switch is opened, a circuit independent of the first mentioned circuit, a signaling device in said circuit, adapted to be thrown into action when the electric device is energized and a receiving device in said circuit.

8. The combination with an electric circuit, of a pluralityof switches in said circuit, each switch being controlled by an electric device in a closed shunt with said circuit, the resistance of which device being greater than the resistance of the circuit, the arrangement being such that when any device is energized its corresponding switch is operated to open the circuit at said switch, a circuit independent of the first mentioned circuit, signaling devices equal in number to said switches, and the corresponding signaling device being adapted to be thrown into action when its corresponding switch is opened, and a receiving device in said circuit.

9. In combination with multiple electric circuits, each being provided with a normally closed switch, an electric device in a closed shunt with its corresponding circuit-and controlling its corresponding switch, the resistance of each of said devices being greater than the resistance of its corresponding circuit, the arrangement being such that when any of said devices is energized its corresponding switch is operated and its circuit broken, a circuit independent of the first mentioned circuits, signaling devices equal in number to said switches, and the corresponding signaling device being adapted to be thrown into action when its corresponding switch is opened, and a receiving device in said circuit.

10. In combination with multiple electric circuits, a plurality of switches in each of said circuits, each switch being controlled by an electric device in a closed shunt with its corresponding circuit, the resistance of each of said devices being greater than the resist ance of its corresponding circuit, the arrangement being such that when any device is energized its corresponding switch is operated to open its corresponding circuit at said switch, a circuit independent of the first mentioned circuits, signaling devices equal in number to said switches and the corresponding signaling device being adapted to be thrown into action when its corresponding switch is opened, and a receiving device in said circuit.

11. The combination with an electric circuit of a normally closed switch in said circuit, an electric device in a closed shunt with said circuit and adapted to control said switch, the resistance of said shunt circuit being greater than the resistance of the circuit, the arrangement being such that when the resistance of the circuit is unduly increased said device is energized and said switch is opened.

12. The combination withan electric circuit of a plurality of normally closed switches in said circuit, each switch being controlled by an electric device in a closed shunt with said circuit, the resistance of which shunt circuits being greater than the resistance of the circuit, the arrangement being such that when any device. is energized its corresponding switch is operated to open the circuit at said switch.

13. In combination with an electric circuit, a normally closed switch in said circuit, an electric device in a closed shunt with said circuit and adapted to control said switch, the resistance of said shunt circuit being greater than the resistance of the circuit, the arrangement being such that when the resistance to the circuit is unduly increased said device is energized and said switch is opened, a circuit independent of the first mentioned circuit, a translating device in said circuit adapted to be thrown into action when the electric device is energized and a receiving device in said circuit.

14 The combination with an electric circuit of a plurality of normally closed switches in said circuit, each switch being controlled by an electric device in a closed shunt with said circuit, the resistance ofwhich shunt circuits beingv greater than the resistance ofv the cir- 'cuit,.the arrangement being such that when switchis opened, and a receiving device in' said circuit. p

In testimony of which invention I have hereunto set my hand.

LEWIS G. RoWAND.

Witnesses:

M. F. ELLIS, FRANK S. BUSSER. 

